One Change
by Seishin No Hime
Summary: What If... What if things had been different? The world as if the Uchiha massacre never happened and Sakura went on to become a student of Itachi's genin team. Follow Itachi and Sakura as they experience trials as teacher and student until eventually they become something more. ItaSaku - Other pairing will be included in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**One Change: By Seisin no Hime.**

**Okay so this is a big 'what if?' This is my interpretation of what could of happened should the Uchiha massacre never have taken place. Yes, this is another generic non-massacre story but it will be told in a series of one-shots so expect there to be time skips.**

**The first few chapters will likely be getting to know the characters and their capabilities and seeing them grow to truly become a team. Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi and the rest of the rookie 9 will be in this story but not for a few chapters.**

**So, I hope you enjoy.**

**Standard Discliamer Apply.**

Itachi Uchiha never thought he would be a sensei. He definitely didn't think that he would be a sensei when he was just 15 years old.

The only requirements for actually being a teacher were to have passed Jounin rank and be willing to devote a large amount of your time to brats that are likely to ignore about 80% of what you try to teach them.

So when he was assigned his team he didn't hold out any hope that his experience would be any different. The day that he'd gone to meet them he had arrived punctually, it was best not to give them any reason to dislike him before they even saw what his training methods were like.

He was having trouble picturing what he would find when he arrived but what he saw was not what he could have anticipated by a long shot.

The room was full of children, all around the age of 12. Notably, there were several Uchiha's scattered around the room whom he could name and list of every tactical skill that they may possess. There was one group that stood out amongst the large gathering of newly minted genin. In the very corner of the room sat 3 children, a short girl with pink hair, a boy with dark blue hair and lavender eyes that made him identifiable as a Hyuuga and a boy with ice blue hair that seemed to be glaring at the other two.

He probably wouldn't have noticed them at all but he prided himself on observing and noting absolutely everything about his surroundings.

He cleared his throat and every single person in the room stopped what they were previously doing and turned to look at him, some shrank back from his imposing presence.

"I am looking for team 2, would the team in question please follow me to the 7th training ground?" he stated clearly, allowing himself a final, cursory glance around the room before turning and leaving. He was sure that the team would follow.

He only stopped when he'd finally reached the previously mentioned training grounds. To his surprise, although the emotion wasn't visible on his passive face, it was the quiet group from the corner that had followed him. Now that they were standing, he could tell that they were noticeably shorter than the rest of the students in the class.

Although he was relaxed and his stance was far from hostile the genin in front of him were far from letting their guard down. It looked as though they had taken their shinobi training very seriously and they were glancing around the desolate field warily before finally turning to face him.

For a moment none of them spoke. However, after a few moments the kunoichi of the team spoke warily.

"You are Uchiha Itachi, are you not?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest and fixing him with a steady gaze. He was impressed, it seemed as though he was somewhat famous and even after all that the pink haired girl had surely heard about him she didn't seem to be afraid.

He stared straight back before deciding what he was going to say in return. "Indeed I am little Kunoichi. I would like you to start by introducing yourselves. Tell me your name, your age, why you want to become a ninja and what your ultimate goal is. I will start.."

He looked at them critically for a second before beginning to speak again. "My name is Uchiha Itachi, I am 15 years old. I became a ninja because it was what was expected of me by my clan and I want to protect this village and all of it's inhabitants. Ultimately, my goal is to take over the Uchiha clan and change the way that things are done so nobody else ever has to suffer through what I have."

The genin looked at him for a minute, at a loss for what to say. Once again, it was the pink haired girl that decided to speak first.

"My name is Haruno Sakura, I'm 10 years old. I became a ninja because I learned of Tsunade Senju who proved that being a ninja could be just as much about helping people as hurting them. My goal is to become the greatest medical ninja of this generation and eventually make the Haruno name known." she stated confidently, never once breaking his gaze.

In answer to her statement he simply nodded his head and turned to look at the Hyuuga boy with the dark blue hair.

"I am Haruki Hyuuga, I'm 12 years old. The reason I became a ninja is becausemy clan expects me to carry on the legacy. Also, I have two younger cousins who I want to be able to protect, Hyuuga Hinata and Hyuuga Hanabi. My goal is to abolish the curse mark among the branch members of the clan and finally unite the Hyuuga as one clan." his clear statement interested Itachi. He knew of the unrest within the Hyuuga clan, but for it to have effected one so young, it must be getting worse.

The last member of the team stared at him defiantly, almost as if he was daring the Uchiha to ask him to speak. After a brief but intense staring contest he sighed and turned slightly to the side so that he wasn't looking at anything in particular.

"My name is Shinnosuke Ashimatsu, I am 12 years old. The reason I became a ninja is because I wanted to to and my goal is to become the most powerful ninja in the village to that they will remember the sacrifice that my older sister made for this stupid place." he didn't say any more than that and nobody asked him to. His mood had suddenly turned sour and nobody wanted to deal with a verbal lashing.

Itachi felt his lips pull up into a small grin, this was going to be interesting. Never let it be said that being a sensei was boring. He was looking forward to assessing their skills and finding out what their hidden talents were.

Especially the pink-haired kunoichi of the team. Ten years old huh? The same age as Sasuke and she had already graduated the academy. It would be interesting seeing where he limits lie and how far he could push her in the future.

Even if they looked like a somewhat dysfunctional team, he was sure that they would complement each other in ways that many genin were unable to. He would train them to be some of the most powerful ninja in the 5 shinobi nations. Of that he was sure.

**So that's the end of the first installment of this series of one-shots. They will follow a chronological timescale and will document their growth as a team. It will eventually be ItaSaku but only after Sakura turns 16 for obvious reasons.**

**Review to let me know what you think and what you think could be improved or what parts you liked ^^**

**Sei x**


	2. Chapter 2 - Chakra

One Change: Chapter 2 – Chakra

**The first chapter of this was better received than I expected it to be! Thank you to everybody who reviewed and/or added this story to their fave/follow lists. **crimson dragonX **expressed some discontent with this being akin to a series of one-shots. Would anybody else prefer this to be a continuous story instead of a set of chronological one-shots?**

**In regards to chakra natures – I know that Sakura has Earth(Doton) nature chakra in canon but for the sake of this story she will have water(Suiton) chakra nature. Itachi's will remain fire(Katon)**

**Thank you to:**

_Jenni (anon)_

_crimson dragonX_

_Guest (anon)_

_mun3litKnight_

_kyoko minion_

_OfEmeraldOrbsAndCrimsonCrows_

_angel897_

_Doujin-Maker_

_Shadowlove'scookies_

**Standard Disclaimers Apply**

It had been two months since Itachi had met his genin team for the first time. They were quiet but he knew that over time he would be able to break down the walls they'd built around themselves and train them to value teamwork above all else. Within the next few months he would surely have them working as a cohesive team unit, separate parts of a well oiled machine.

Though they rarely spoke, let alone initiated conversation, they were efficient. It was almost as though they could handle their own training without his help or prompting.

This was all well and good for now but when they progressed to learning the finer skills of Ninjutsu, Genjutsu and Taijutsu they would need proper guidance in order to fine tune their abilities.

From watching their independent training and sparring matches he had gleaned that the pink-haired kunoichi of the team, Sakura, was a genjutsu type. She had very precise chakra control which, if properly trained and nurtured, could help her to become a great ninja. The type of chakra control that she possessed opened up another interesting possibility to her. Medical Ninjutsu wasn't widely practiced among shinobi simply because it was beyond the realms of possibility for the majority.

He would have to see about finding somebody who practiced the art. Nohara Rin, Konoha jounin and med-nin was at the top of his list. The girl was a few years older than him and though he had very rarely spoken with her he knew that she was am accomplished medical ninja and didn't think she'd mind taking on an apprentice when the time was right.

Haruno Sakura herself had expressed an interest in the art during her self-introduction. She spoke highly of the sannin Tsunade Senju whom had not been seen for many years. Rumour would have it that she wandered the shinobi nations in search of new remedies to further her knowledge. The way that the girl spoke was, in it's own way, inspiring. Many 10 year old students would have answered his question with something whimsical such as wanting to be the strongest or be able to kill the bad guys but the girl spoke with a tenor that suggested she may have seen more of the world than she would have liked in her short life, more than any small child should have to deal with.

He looked at them now; the Hyuuga was facing off against the surly Ashimatsu boy and neither seemed to be holding back. Sakura sat a little way off, her palms pressed firmly into the earth and eyes closed. At first glance she seemed to be simply meditating but when he saw sweat begin to roll down her brow, he activated his sharingan.

It was then that he could see what she was really doing. Her hands glowed faintly with chakra and she seemed to be slowly drawing the moisture from the soil and making in rest in puddles above the now-dry grass around her hands. It wasn't something that had ever seen done before so he decided to continue to observe instead of inquiring as to her objective. He watched as she slowly upturned one palm, the collected moisture following obediently to settle in the upturned palm in an wavering spherical shape.

Interested in what she would do next he leaned against the tree to his left and continued to observe the slightly strange behavior. Slowly, she began to turn the other hand but just as the water began to trickle into her open palm he saw her chakra waver and she let out a gasping breath as the water immediately began to permeate back into the soil. For a moment she sat, breathing heavily as the remaining water drained from her palms in thin streams.

When she began to cough, rasping and trying to catch her breath, the two other members of team two finally seemed to notice that something was wrong and stopped what they were doing in order to turn in her direction and see if she was alright.

By this time, the Uchiha had already shunshin'd to her location and knelt by her side in order to assess whether she had caused any injury to herself. When she finally managed to regulate her breathing somewhat he felt her lean into his side, too physically exhausted to support her own weight even in a sitting position.

Growing slightly worried about the girl who had yet to speak he turned his attention to Haruki. Fixing the boy with a concerned gaze he asked, "Is your Byakugan advanced enough to see her chakra systems?" The boy promptly nodded.

Pressing his finger to his temples, the young Hyuuga directed chakra to his eyes and activated his byakugan. His eyes widened slightly at what he saw and his eyes held a hint of panic when he turned to face Itachi once again.

"She is almost completely out of chakra, I'm surprised that she hasn't lost consciousness before now." He supplied, turning worried eyes on his female teammate.

It was until this point that Itachi realized that the girl was, in fact, now out cold. He wondered how long she had been practicing the water gathering exercise before he had noticed.

Deciding that their training session was over for the day, he lifted the tiny girl into his arms and shunshin'd to front doors of the hospital. Taking a moment to regain his bearings, he shifted the girl so that he held most of her weight with one arm and then used the free arms to push open the glass door and walk up to the reception desk.

The auburn haired women behind the counter gave a light gasp when she saw the state that the child was in before asking what had happened for her end up like this.

Itachi shifted her weight awkwardly so she was once again balanced in both arms before filling the nurse in. "She is suffering from severe chakra depletion. Nothing that bed rest will not fix but I thought I should bring her in just to make sure that their would be no lasting side effects. I will ensure that she doesn't train for the next few days at least."

It was only after she had been placed in a room to rest and he was half way through filling in her patient details that he realized he didn't know who he should contact to let them know of the situation. Surely her parents would want to know of the situation.

For lack of better thing to do he called Umino Iruka as he knew that the chunin had been her teacher in the academy..

When the teacher arrived he was perched on the edge of a chair at her bedside awaiting his arrival. The two left the room to talk so as not to disturb the exhausted girl from her rest. Itachi promptly inquired if now would be a good time to contact her parents. Iruka averted his eyes and was silent for a moment. When he did eventually speak it was soft and regretful sounding.

"Sakura-chan's parents both died 4 years ago when they were ambushed by a band of Iwa ANBU on the way back from a mission. She has been in my care ever since."

Itachi didn't know what the appropriate response would be to the admission so he simply inclined his head, whether in acceptance of the answer or in condolence for the small girls loss, he wasn't quite sure.

Deeming it inappropriate to leave her bedside, he stayed with the genin and her guardian, awaiting the time when she would awaken and he would see her eyes burn will the 'will of fire' once again.

_**-End Chapter-**_

**So that's the end of this chapter. Don't forget to let me know if you want this to become a continuous story or stay in one-shot format :)!**

**So we learned a little more about Sakura including that Iruka (I love him so much) is her guardian. Next chapter we will find out why she graduated from the academy earlier than usual and also we'll be seeing some team training. The chakra natures of the other two teammates will be revealed and they will all be given a jutsu to learn!**

**Please review to let me know what you thought, if you liked it, things you think could be improved, things you might like to see or just to say 'hi!'**

**Sei x**


	3. Chapter 3 - Teammates

**One Change: Chapter 3 – Teammates**

**Time for chapter 3! I'm going to ask again whether people want this to remain in one-shot format or become a continuous story because I've had a mixed response so far. The idea that I may go with is that it will remain in one-shot format until Sakura reaches the age of 16 when it will become a continuous story. This will help to accommodate the time-skips that will be in the first part of the story.**

**To find art of Sakura and her teammates on my Deviantart go to the following link (Remove spaces): **_ kawaii-koneko-chi. deviantart art/ Team-Itachi - 421040342_

**Thank you to**: _Doujin-Maker, __annashina__, konoha kid, __kyoko minion__, CrisStarTina, __MoonStone-Secrets__, Geenuhh, __silverwolfighter00__, Shadowlove'scookies_**, **_angel_897 **and **_Mel2121 _!

**Standard Disclaimers Apply**

It took Itachi 6 months to begin to fully understand their group dynamic. They had done nothing but sub-standard D-rank missions since they became a team but he could already see a strategy behind the way that they carefully planned out each move before they executed it and worked together to achieve the set goal.

As far as he could tell, the person who mostly led the team was Haruki. Being a member of the Hyuuga clan gave him an advantage when it came to sight and his teammates seemed to have faith in him when it came to supplying them with information. The boy's file had labeled him as a sensory type with a high success rate when it came to basic kata and taijutsu. This was largely expected from somebody with the Hyuuga's bloodline limit and he was pleased to see that the qualities of a good leader had manifested in his young charge.

The fastest member of the team by far was Shinnosuke or Shin as he had grudgingly told them to call him. His senses seemed to be advanced and by his slightly above-average chakra reserves, he could tell that the boy would one day be very skilled in ninjutsu. His agility may serve him well if he were to learn kenjutsu but that was the matter of finding the time to tutor him separate from the rest of the team. The boy was fairly introverted and preferred to keep to himself but that didn't mean that he tried to work by himself. He was fairly sure that the boy enjoyed working as part of a team and was just having a difficult time adjusting.

The last member of his team was a slightly different case. When he first found out that Haruno Sakura had graduated the academy 2 years ahead of her actual class he'd thought that maybe she was some kind of prodigy and maybe he wasn't necessarily wrong but the girl wasn't what he would have originally judged as being anything special. One of the first things that he noticed about her was that she had far smaller chakra reserves that any child usually born into a shinobi family.

The next things that he noticed was that her taijutsu was sub-par and that she had a lot of trouble keeping up with the fast paces that her teammates sometimes set. This could be remedied by extensive training in the basic katas and maybe calling in a favour from Maito Gai, the man owed him for saving him on a mission a little over a year ago.

It was definitely eluding him why she had graduated so early. There was one thing that stood out to him though, the girl was extremely proficient in chakra control exercises and the beginnings of water-based jutsu. Briefly, he wondered how she would fair in the tree walking and water-walking exercises that he planned to teach them when he thought the rest of the team was ready. If he had to guess, then he was fairly certain that she had a suiton chakra nature.

Glancing over at them now he noted that Sakura was managing to hold her own against Haruki by weaving a very subtle genjutsu that made him believe that she was leaving many more opening than she actually was. In all actuality, he had landed a grand total of 0 hits on the kunoichi. He recognized the techinque as Magen: Kasumi, a short range genjutsu that the jounin Yuuhi Kurenai was known for using. The technique was C rank and created an illusionary clone which charged the opponent and when hit, exploded into a cloud of cherry blossoms. He found the technique to be fitting for the girl but had to wonder where she had learned to use it, let alone become proficient in it.

He waited for the Hyuuga to notice that something was amiss. If the boy had been fighting with his byakugan activated then he would have noticed the incorrect chakra proportion of the clone in comparison to a regular shinobi. He saw the exact moment when the boys eyes widened and he brought his hands together to form a series of seals. At first he thought that the boy was going to form the release seal but quickly recognized the order of seals -Tiger, Horse, Rat, Dog, Tiger – to be that of the Katon: Benijigumo. He brought his left hand to his mouth as a stream of fire spewed out of his pursed lips and surrounded the Sakura-clone. When it was completely surrounded the flames turned into a large spider that crushed the clone in seconds.

For a second the boy looked suitably victorious but the smirk slipped from his lips when cherry blossom petals exploded from within the spider and slowing drifted to the ground. The soft pink petals accented by burning red and orange flames created a destructively artistic image. The Hyuuga looked dumbfounded which gave Sakura the chance to form a series of seals of her own, he watched her slam her hands into the ground calling out, "Suiton: Homatsu no Jutsu Sazanami!"

A volley of bubbles burst from the ground, surrounding her opponent and then popping creating high pressure waves that caused the boy to fall to his knees to avoid the rest last of the attack.

When the mist of water vapour finally cleared Itachi spotted the girl was also on her knees, panting but sporting a victorious smirk of her own. When she locked eyes with her teammate she gave him a one-handed salute and slowly rose to her feet. Itachi guessed that using and maintaining the two ninjutsu in succession must have used up most of her small chakra reserves.

He saw Sakura turn towards Shin whom had been practicing kata a few meters a way and beckoned him towards them. When he reached them she laughed and threw her arm over his shoulder and pulled him down to the ground to sit next to her. He scowled at her but Itachi could tell that he wasn't particularly unhappy with the action.

"Ne Shin-kun, what were you practicing over there?" the pink-haired girl asked, innocently blinking at the older boy. Shin pulled out a scroll from his kunai pouch and unrolled it before the girl.

"It's a sealing technique called the Sealing Trap Explosion." he answered, pointing to the intricately drawn seals that adorned the parchment. Black lines were interwoven to form a decidedly flame-like image. Although the Ashmatsu had an earth chakra nature, Itachi noted that he may be better suited to studying Fuinjutsu with the fourth hokage.

"It allows me seal an explosive within the scroll so that when somebody steps on it it will detonate, If drawn correctly it can do massive amounts of damage." the boy finished explaining before rolling the scroll back up and slipping it back into his kunai pouch.

Sakura nodded in understanding before stating that she was done for the day and that she would be back at the same time the following day. Itachi already knew that she wouldn't be late. Every morning without fail she would visit the cenotaph to pay respect to her uncle and father who's names were both carved on the polished rock, before promptly arriving from the north-eastern end of the field.

The two boys left shortly afterwards, neither wanting to prolong their training for now. Itachi himself headed for the Uchiha compound, his mother had asked him to collect Sasuke from the academy today but he wouldn't have to do so for several hours yet so he decided to search through the Uchiha's extensive jutsu collection and see if he could find any jutsu that he could give to his team to practice.

From now on he would start training them more seriously. It would be a waste to let the potential that they possessed go to waste when they would likely all become top-ranked shinobi of Konoha one day.

**Another chapter complete! Thank you again to everybody who reviewed the last chapter!**

**Jutsu used:**

**Illusionary Release: Mist (Magen:Kasumi)**

**Fire Release:Crimson Earth Spider (Katon: Benijigumo)**

**Water Release: Bubbles technique – Ripples (Suiton: Homatsu no Jutsu Sazanami)**

**Sealing Jutsu: Sealing trap explosion**

**Don't forget to leave a review to let me know what you think, things that you liked, things that could be improved or just to say hi!**

**Sei x**


	4. Chapter 4 - Lost

**One Change; Chapter 4 – Lost**

**I present to you the next chapter! I'm glad that people are enjoying this story because I'm enjoying writing it :)**

**My update may become a little irregular because I've just started studying for my A2 exams and I have a lot of homework but I'll try to keep updates regular and as often as possile!**

**Thank you to: GingerLily01,leosbabygirl84,MoonStone-Secrets, Shadowlove'scookies, Doujin-Maker, **_**Guest**_**, annashina, JustFabulous, silverwolfighter00, angel897, **_**Queen's Knight(Anon)**_** and kyoko minion !**

**leosbabygirl84: Thank you for the ideas! I'll take that into account in later chapters :) I'm glad you like Itachi's method of assessing their strengths and weaknesses **

**Shadowlove'scookies: You read my mind ;) Look out for it in a later chapter!**

**Standard Disclaimer Apply.**

**04: Lost**

2 months later.

Something was wrong. While having no proof that his assumption was in fact true, Itachi knew that something wasn't right. Why did he think this? His reasoning was simple really, Haruki and Shin had already shown up for training 30 minutes ago and Sakura still wasn't present.

Most people would assume that she was just late but Itachi wasn't _most people. _His pink-haired student had never once been late for a training session and she couldn't e skipping because it just wasn't in her nature. A few weeks ago she had shown up to training even though she had a fever of 102.3 degrees because she had unknowingly exhausted her chakra reserves while practicing the jutsu he had shown her earlier in the day.

He wasn't worried because Uchiha Itachi didn't worry. About anything. If anything, he was mildly annoyed at not being able to start his training session when he wanted to, the girl was delaying his schedule and Shin and Haruki were beginning to look anxious.

"Ne Uchiha-sensei, Do you think we should go and check on Sakura-chan?" Haruki inquired, stepping forward slightly and wringing his hands in front of him. It was obvious that the boy was worried about his teammate but didn't want to incur the wrath of his sensei. Shin stood in the background with his arms crossed looking as though he couldn't care less but Itachi could see him glancing towards the forest on the North-Eastern border of the training field every so often.

Realizing that they weren't going to get any work done until they located their missing teammate Itachi made the decision to post-pone the training session until the afternoon. He sent the two boys of in the direction of their respective homes and told them that he'd ask around the village to see if anybody knew the girls where-abouts.

With the two boys completely out of range Itachi stood completely still and expanded his senses outwards to see if he could locate the girls chakra signature. If she was still inside the village, and he doubted that she would have left, then he should be able to locate her fairly easily.

It took approximately 2 and a half minutes until he found the familiar chakra signature, Itachi wasn't surprised to note that she seemed to be by the cenotaph. He wasted no time in forming the seals of the shunsin and disappearing, only to reappear at the girls side moments later.

When he arrived he froze momentarily when he realized the girl didn't seem to be moving. She was laying on her side on the polished stone tablet that formed the base of the cenotaph, her pink hair splayed out around her head and concealing her face from him. He relaxed when he saw her chest rise and fall with her slow breathing and crouched down by her side to inspect her for any sign of injury. When he was satisfied that she was unharmed he lifted her into his arms and proceeded to use a transportation jutsu to move them to the residence of Umino Iruka.

He didn't know if the man would be home but he took his chances with the door and found it to be locked, as much was to be expected seeing as the man was a ninja so he settled for knocking and hoping th man was in. Usually he would have been able to break in with ease but the pink-haired bundle in his arms was currently making that difficult.

The brown haired chuunin opened the door, a mildly surprised look on his face when he saw Itachi which transformed into pitying murmur when he spotted Sakura.

"You had better come in, I'm sure you're wondering why Sakura has driven herself into such a state?" Iruka asked, ushering Itachi inside before taking the girl from him and saying that he would return as soon as he had placed her in bed.

While Iruka was on the upper floor Itachi walked into the living area and began inspecting the photographs that littered every available surface. It seemed as though Sakura had been a happy child with a bright smile. It wasn't difficult for him to believe in all honesty and he found that he liked the idea of Sakura being a smiley child. During his inspection of a photograph of Sakura on what seemed to be her induction into the academy, Iruka returned to the living area and beckoned him to take a seat.

The older man sighed and ran a hand over his face, Itachi could tell that he was tired and idly wondered what was troubling him.

"Itachi-san, I don't know if you're aware but today was he anniversary of Sakura's parents death. I feel as though I should have informed you before now but it didn't occur to be that you should know." The resignation in the mans voice was audible and Itachi felt a slither of pity for him, it was obvious that this day was difficult for Iruka as well.

"As I told you before, Sakura-chan's parents were killed while on a mission 4 years ago. She was only six years old and she didn't really understand. Due to the fact that she had no other traceable relatives, Yondaime-sama was forced to put her into the care of the village orphanage. When I heard about this I felt guilty, Kizashi and Mebuki were friends of mine and I had come to think of Sakura of family." Iruka's eyes were turned towards the floor as he recalled the tale and Itachi wondered if he should stop him from speaking, it was obviously causing him pain.

After contemplating it for a few seconds he decided it would be better to let the man finish his story. Iruka looked thankful for the lack of interruption and continued where he left off.

"I asked Yondaime-sama if I could take the girl into my custody but he questioned by motives and he doubted I'd have the time to look after a child. It took me a long time, 7 months to be exact to convince him otherwise but he eventually allowed me to take her home. Sakura, for the most part, was confused. Nobody had really told her where her parents were and she had convinced herself that they didn't love her anymore and had abandoned her. It took me nearly 3 years to convince her that her parents loved her dearly and wold have wanted her to be happy.

As soon as she came into my custody I had Sakura enrolled in the academy. She was six years old at the time and found it hard to fit in with the other kids. Her time at the orphanage had left her introverted and shy and she never really made friends. I didn't realize at first but Sakura was being severely bullied, some of the older children had caught wind of what happened to her parents and teased her mercilessly about it. I only found out when I discovered her crying in the corner of the academy grounds and I'd never felt so terrible in my life.

I believe it was because of this sever bullying and social seclusion that Sakura excelled in her studies. She was top of her class in no time so I moved her into the year above. Things went down hill even more from there, the taunting increased because the other children believed she was being favoured, Sakura couldn't stand it so she withdrew into herself even more. I watched her slowly lose all her motivation so I moved her up again. For a while the bullying stopped and Sakura excelled even further in her studies, academically she was about 4 years ahead but physically she was barely on par with her own age group.

The bullying started again when the children noticed that she was physically weaker than them so in the end I decided to let her graduate and continue to develop her taijutsu with her team, I placed her with the Hyuuga and the Ashimatsu because neither of them had ever been bad to her before.

This year was the first year that Sakura realized her parents actually loved her when the anniversary of their deaths came around so I think this was her way of dealing with the emotional stress and physical weakness that she possesses."

When Iruka was finished speaking Itachi didn't quite know what to say, he didn't want to feel pity for the girl but he was finding it increasingly difficult not to.

He sincerely hoped that she wouldn't allow her penchant for letting her emotions get the best of her to get in the way of her training but he also felt as though he was finally getting to know just who Haruno Sakura actually was.

**So we now know Sakura's story. I didn't want to make this a generic 'Sakura is super-strong and so she becomes a prodigy and is so much bad-ass than anybody else' story, so I hope i did the idea justice.**

**I hope you enjoyed reading! Don't forget to leave me a review to let me know what you thought, things you liked and what you think could be improved!:)**

**Sei x**


	5. Chapter 5 - Family

One Change: Chapter 5 – Family.

**So I present to you yet another chapter of 'One Change'! This chapter didn't turn out exactly how I wanted it to because my idea's changed half way through writing it and I just decided to go with the flow.**

**Character Ages:**

**-Itachi: 16**

**-Sakura: 11**

**-Haruki and Shin: 13**

**-Sasuke: 11**

**Iruka: 21**

**Thank you to: **_**Guest, **_**Guest2, silverwolfighter00, annashina, **_**lightsky1842(Anon), **_**mun3litKnight, Shadowlove'scookie, kyoko minion, leosbabygirl84 and angel897!**

**Standard Disclaimers Apply.**

**05: Family**

**2 months later.**

It had officially been a whole year since Itachi had taken on his genin team. In that short time he'd seen them grow so much under his relentless training regime, he was pleasantly surprised that none of them had decided to throw in the towel yet. Pride was an emotion he hadn't expected to feel in his life in relation to anybody but himself. However, he found himself feeling increasing pride for the young ninja who where maturing right in front of his eyes.

He remembered their first mission outside of the village, that had been almost 3 months ago now, it had also been the first time he'd felt the foreign emotion that was pride for his charges. In all respects, the mission had not been difficult but they were newly minted genin, barely out of the academy and developing faster than anybody could have expected them to.

They had been assigned with the task of delivery some scrolls to a small town on the border of Hi No Kuni*, no hostiles were expected and they hadn't encountered any. The mission was completed with speed and efficiency.

As of late his mother had been bugging him to bring his charges to his home so that she could meet them, all he ever heard when he was around her was how cute they must be. On the other hand, Sasuke seemed less than pleased with the prospect of having to share his Aniki's* time with other children around his age.

Sasuke was an unusually hot-tempered preteen which led to him having few friends and spending most of his time training in solitude. Itachi knew that the boy wished to surpass him someday and he was content to let his Otouto* progress in his training. IN the next year Sasuke would be assigned his own sensei and team to officially train with.

Christmas was fast approaching when Itachi finally gave into his mothers wishes and arranged for his team to spend a portion of Christmas Eve at the Uchiha compound. When he informed the younger ninja they had accepted with little argument, Shin had uttered some complaints under his breath but hadn't bothered to voice any of them properly so Itachi took it as universal compliance.

Itachi was not nervous about the meeting that was about to take place, Uchiha Itachi didn't get nervous. In fact, he was irritated that, not only was his training time being taken up but his younger brother was in a foul mood and was likely going to show the whole family up by acting like he was raised by a pack of wolves.

The eldest Uchiha child composed his features before pushing the doors aside and gesturing for his team to enter before him. He heard their sharp intakes of breath as they surveyed their new surroundings, the Uchiha main house was lavishly decorated and very spacious but what else could once expect from the main house of one of the highest ranking shinobi families in the village.

Itachi realized he had hit the nail on the head when he saw Sasuke taking his time to glare daggers at each of the ninja, one at a time. He also saw the way that his Otouto's eyes lingered on Sakura for a second longer than he had the other two. The notion that he found the pinkette's presence noteworthy roused a sense of protection within Itachi that he would ever admit. What did he have to fear? They were both only children and it was extremely unlikely that anything would ever happen between them.

When he had them firmly seated in the living area awaiting his parents arrival, Itachi finally took the time to speak to his young charges.

"My mother is extremely excited to meet you all so do not act in any way that could lead her to believe you are displeased with her company. She will fuss over you, ignore it the best you can and try not to start any fights." he looked pointedly at Shin and Sakura when he said the last part of his sentence, over the past months the two had developed penchant for challenging each other over the most menial things. It almost always ended in some sort of destruction.

The three of them nodded obediently, waiting for their Sensei* to continue speaking.

"My father will likely ignore your presence for the most part. It is likely that if he does say anything then it will be some kind of insult directed at your person. What ever you do, you must not show him an adverse reaction. This is what he wants. If you can, keep your face impassive and answer politely and good-naturedly." Itachi knew that his father had some sort of superiority complex when it came to other shinobi families, believing that the Uchiha were the best no matter what anybody else said.

Again, the 3 said nothing but continued to listen to their trusted Sensei's advice.

Itachi sighed, of course he would have to warn them about Sasuke as well despite the fact he doubted his Otouto could do them any harm. "My younger brother is in a particularly bad mood today, he didn't want company and will likely try to draw a reaction from you by glaring at you for the majority of the evening. However, he may also attempt to back up my fathers insults. Don't give him the satisfaction of winning." The last sentence was said with a slight smirk on his face.

After all, it wouldn't have been fair to send them in the lion's den without being warned about what they might encounter. His statement was met with 3 almost identical smirks that told him what he already knew. They were ready for this.

A part of his complex mind registered that he was treating dinner with his family as though it was a mission. The genin seemed to have picked up on his mood and were reacting to both his reluctance to be there and their own uncertainty about the situation they found themselves in.

Mikoto entered the room with a soft smile on her face, automatically turning her face towards the genin who sat stiffly on the couch. Itachi smirked internally at how seriously they seemed to be taking his advice. Mikoto didn't seem to notice their hesitance and spoke to them in a tone that betrayed her excitement.

"You must be Itachi's genin team, I've heard a little about you from Itachi." she stated, turning first to Haruki, a knowing smile on her face. "You would be Hyuuga Haruki-kun, your hair and eyes make it pretty obvious that your from the Hyuuga clan." Haruki's eyes widened when she got the information spot on then narrowed into slits, calculating how much of a threat this woman may be.

Itachi let his eyes wonder for a moment and realized that the other two member of team 2 were now also on high alert, may it hadn't been such a good idea to speak to them so seriously about the situation. He knew that his squad was combat ready and the realization amused him greatly.

Mikoto seemed to remain olivous to their tension, instead turning her attention towards Sakura. "Ah! You're Haruno Sakura. What a cute little girl you are, I wish my Sasuke would marry somebody like you in the future." If Sakura had been tense before, she was absolutely rigid, with surprise or horror he didn't know.

Sasuke, with his penchant for having extremely bad timing, happened to enter the room just as Mikoto started talking about marriage. His eyes automatically narrowed into slits as he glared daggers at the little girl who was seated on the couch. Itachi found himself growing somewhat uncomfortable with the situation and he could tell that Sakura was about to bolt.

There was something that he's learned about Haruno Sakura in the last year. She had an incredibly strong will and she was much smarter than most children her age which made her a great strategist but she also found it difficult to associate with or get close to people. She put up an uncaring facade but it was weak and crumbled as soon as people began getting closer to her.

He watched her carefully. she had begun to tremble slightly and Mikoto had finally noticed that something was wrong, he smile disappearing and a worried frown taking it's place. Everybody in the room was still for a moment as the members of team 2 collectively held their breath. That all changed the moment Mikoto tried to take a step forward, Sakura had made the seals so quickly that he almost wasn't prepared for the jutsu she used.

"Suiton: Seiryusho!" she called urgently, her voice a little higher in pitch than normal as two jets of water shot out from her hands, narrowly missing his mother whom had jumped out of the way.

What happened next was a surprise to everybody in the room. Sakura Haruno ran straight into the arms of her sensei, Itachi Uchiha, and gave him a hug. Yes, she gave him a hug. The room was completely silent save for the shuddering sobs of the pink-haired girl and the muted dripping of water from the furnature.

Sakura seemed so absolutely _terrified _that Itachi knew there was more to her reaction than just todays events. Raising a hand hesitantly he placed it atop her pink hair and pulled her tighter to him in reflex. Something had to have happened for her to react in the manner she did. Looks like he was going to have to pay Iruka another visit.

For now, he gathered the sobbing girl into his arms and silently directed her and her teammates out of the Uchiha compound. When he decided to bring them here he didn't expect it to be all smiles and rainbows but he sure as hell wasn't expecting this,

**The end! Looks like there's a little more to Sakura's past than Iruka revealed. Anybody want to hazard a guess at what made her react so violently?**

***Hi No Kuni – Land of Fire/ Fire Country**

***Aniki/Ani – Older brother(polite)**

***Otouto – Younger brother(polite)**

***Sensei - Teacher**

**Jutsu:**

**Water Release: Azure Dragon Palm!(Suiton:Seiryusho!)**

**Don't forget to review to let me know what you thought, what could be improved or what you liked ^^**

**Sei x**


	6. Chapter 6 - Sakura

**One Change: Chapter 6 – Sakura**

**Sorry this chapter took a little longer than others to write, I had trouble writing some of the later scenes without making it too unrealistic**

**We're gonna hear from Sakura instead of Itachi here to make a change. The story will mostly be told from Itachi's point of view but there will be points when we hear from the other characters.**

**Thank you to: Kkstev, **_**Guest, **_**Infinite Nosferatu, JustFabulous, **_**Guest2, **_**SrtaaUchiha, Shadowlove'scookies, silverwolfighter00, annashina, angel897, Doujin-Maker and leosbabygirl84 for reviewing!**

**Also thank you to everybody who added this to their fave/follow lists!**

**Standard Discliamers Apply.**

06: Sakura

**Later the same day**

It had all happened so quickly. One minute she was standing in front of Mikoto Uchiha, genuinely terrified for what the older woman had in store for her, the next she was sobbing in Itachi sensei's arms. Under normal circumstances she would never had done anything so bold but at that exact moment she had craved the protection that she knew he could provide.

Now, as she sat in her room, tightly tucked under the covers of her bed she felt herself flush with embarrassment at what she had done. Not only had she hugged Itachi Uchiha, literally the most stoic man she knew, but she had also attacked the matriarch of the Uchiha clan with a water jutsu and without provocation. Shame flooded her when she thought of how she had let her team down, it was just supposed to be a dinner with sensei's family but it seemed that she couldn't even manage that.

As soon as the youngest Uchiha had entered her line of vision she had recognised him. Sasuke Uchiha had been one the boy who had constantly picked on her when she was still in the same class as the rest of the children her age. It was obvious that he was furious with her, his main insult to her had always been that she was too weak to ever become a ninja so it must have been a blow to his pride when she graduated two years ahead of him.

There were other children from her original class that resented her advancement. Yamanaka Ino and Inuzuka Kiba were the ringleaders of the groups that taunted her. Ino for her wider-than-average forehead and Kiba for her small stature and pink hair. Honestly, she tried to forget her days in the academy and it wasn't that difficult after all, worse things had happened to her in her lifetime. It was those things that flashed through her mind when Mikoto Uchiha had approached her earlier.

instead of seeing long back hair and soft black eyes, Sakura had seen wavy red hair and piercing blue eyes, those eyes promised pain. The words still echoed in her head, "Could marry somebody like you... So Cute... No Choice."

That was a time in her life that Sakura didn't care to remember. She had been just 4 years old when her that woman had first come to her home. Her mother said that she was a friend and that she had a son, a few years older that Sakura, they would be friends.

Sakura's 4 year old mind didn't sense any danger, any reason why she shouldn't believe the woman after all, she was a friend of her mothers and her mother would always protect her. She never noticed that the woman only came when her father wasn't home and she didn't find it odd that she would catch the woman staring at her intensely when she thought she wasn't looking.

3 months after meeting the woman she happened upon her and her mother having conversation, she knew she shouldn't listen but she did anyway and what she heard scar/ed her. They were discussing taking her away forever, did her mother not want her anymore? That night she slept fitfully until around 2am when she heard her bedroom door creak open and froze in place. Ice blue eyes stared at her, not bothering to conceal the look of loathing and hatred within them.

Sakura screamed. She screamed but nobody came because her father was away on a mission and her mother had no intention of stopping this from happening. The woman bound her hand and feet and gagged her with a cloth that smelt weird and after that she couldn't remember anything.

When she came to she was in a room that she didn't recognize and her restraints had been removed. It has warm and lavishly furnished but that didn't comfort Sakura at all and she found herself shaking in terror. Pulling her knees up to her chest she curled up as tightly as possible and cried as silently as possible.

What she would have given to remain alone but the woman joined her in the room after what could have been hours or minutes.

"Little Sakura, don't be frightened. Soon you will meet my son Renjii, you two will get to know eachother and then you will eventually marry. I always hoped that he could marry somebody cute like you. Of course, you have no choice in the matter but I'm sure that you'll cooperate," The woman was smiling sweetly but it had a malicious edge. That was the first time that Sakura had ever been afraid of the woman.

The woman's tone was impersonal and cold, "The children the two of yo will produce will be so powerful. Renjii's massive chakra reserves and your perfect chakra control. I will have created the perfect shinobi." The woman laughed manically and Sakura drew further into herself.

After that day Sakura was alone for a long time. She wished it had been longer.

On the 6th day of her containment Sakura met Renjii. He was tall, towering over her small frame with red hair and grey eyes. She didn't like the way his lips twisted into a sneer whenever he spoke to her or the way his eyes were always cold with not even a hint of warmth.

He hit her. He raised his fist to her and she could do nothing to defend herself because she was small and weak. She passes the day wondering what she had done to deserve the treatment she was getting but she never came up with an answer. he decided that her mother must not have loved her because no loving parent wold willingly allow this to happen to their only child.

The treatment she was receiving didn't get any better and Sakura became numb to the pain that was inflicted upon her small body on a daily basis. She didn't see the woman very often but the more she did the less she seemed to care. The woman knew what her son was doing to Sakura but she did nothing to stop it. Sakura concluded that these two must hate her as well.

6 months after the beginning of her imprisonment Sakura heard a commotion in the hall outside her room. That was odd, usually the halls were completely silent until Renjii came to visit. she tried to ignore the argument going on just outside the door but people were shouting and covering her ears did nothing to block it out.

The door was pushed open with rushed force and the person whom had been arguing was revealed. There, in his jounin uniform was her father looking angry and releaved at the same time.

"Sakura! Come on, we're going home!" For a moment she didn't move but when he beckoned to her again she ran into his arms and sobbed. He lifted her into his arms and carried her away from the place that would haunt her nightmares for many years to come, maybe even the rest of her life.

The day, she concluded that her father did love her. He may be the only one but somebody would always be there for her.

Coming back to the present, Sakura felt tears running silently down her face. Her father had been there for her when nobody else was. She could still remember the look on her mothers face when she and her father and had returned to their family home. She was angry but she did not speak out again Kizashi. 2 weeks after her return, her mother left on a mission and never came back. 2 years after that her father also left on a mission, when he didn't return Sakura knew she'd be alone forever because the last person that loved her was now gone.

Things had started to look better in the last year. She could tell that Iruka-sensei cared for her enough to try and keep her out of trouble. Her team cared for her, they were like her brothers and Itachi-sensei would always protect her, she was sure of it.

So why, when things were just starting to get better did she have to ruin it by attacking Mikoto-sama? Surely people would see her as out of control, somebody who didn't deserve their love. Why did she have to think of that woman when she was just starting to be happy again?

She needed to fix this, she had to apologize to Mikoto-sama, to Sasuke and Itachi and to her teammates who had to see everything earlier.

**So that's the end of Chapter 6 and we finally heard from Sakura. I can promise that there will be nothing more terrible about Sakura's past revealed after this point and her relationships with the other characters will develop further.**

**So we've had the first appearances of some select member of the rookie group. Sasuke, Ino and Kiba we're all involved in Sakura's bullying. This doesn't mean that they won't be friends in the future, it will just take a bit longer for those characters.**

**Please review to let me know what you thought, things you liked, things that could be improved or if you have any questions pertaining to the fic.**

**Sei x**


	7. Chapter 7 - Apology

**One Change: Chapter 7 – Apology**

**Another chapter written. I don't know if i really like this chapter but I thought that I better post it before I decide to rewrite the whole thing. I was literally scowling while writing Sasuke's little speech, I really dislike it.**

**Thanks as always to everybody who reviewed, faved, followed!**

**Thank you to: Analelle, leosbabygirl84, Pysco-babydoll, angel897, annashina, silverwolfighter00, Infinite Nosferatu, **_**Guest **_**and kyoko minion for reviewing!**

**07: Apology**

2 Days later

When she was absolutely sure that she wouldn't flip out again, Sakura decided to pay a visit to the Uchiha compound. She wasn't 100% sure of what she was going to say at that exact moment but she knew that she owed Mikoto-sama an apology and it was better to give her one sooner rather than later.

The Uchiha compound wasn't close to Iruka-sensei's house so it was a long way to walk but it gave her a while to think about what she wanted to say. She hoped that both Sasuke and Fugaku-san would be away when she visited because the younger Uchiha obviously despised her and the patriarch of the clan was scary at best.

She knew her behaviour had been unacceptable but she hoped that Mikoto-sama would accept her explanation and understand that it hadn't been her intention to insult the clan or bring her to any harm. It was stupid, she knew it was but it didn't stop her mind from making the connection between gentle, kind Mikoto and the beautiful woman that still plagued her nightmares more often than she cared to admit.

Stopping outside the large gates that signified the entrance to the Uchiha's vast compound, Sakura took a moment to really take in her surroundings. Whomever had picked the location for the compound obviously had good taste because the surrounding wildlife perfectly accented the dark browns and reds that made up the majority of the accommodation found within. When she had come with Itachi-sensei she remembered there being a lake that ran through the center, bisecting at the large oak tree that sat in the very core of the compound.

The gates were intimidating but Sakura's desire to apologize overrode her fear of the imposing structure and she pushed them aside, granting herself access to Itachi-sensei's home.

She hadn't made it three steps when a hand clamped down on her shoulder and stopped her from walking any further. Freezing momentarily at the harsh contact, Sakura had to will herself not to take defensive measures against the person whom was most probably innocent. Turning her head slowly her eyes met the narrowed eyes of none other that Uchiha Fugaku, Itachi-sensei's father. He looked angry and when his sharingan flickered into life the tense set of Sakura's shoulders became much more obvious.

The Uchiha Patriarch's mouth set into a firm line when he spoke to her, not bothering to hide the venom in his voice. "Haruno, what are you doing here?" his manner of speaking was harsh and to the point, no beating around the bush, that wasn't his style. "You are not to set foot in this compound unless you have express permission from me or one of the clan elders. It has come to my attention that you have tried to attack my wife and you will now be considered a safety risk."

Sakura's eyes widened at what he was saying, her, a safety risk? He made it sound like she had willingly tried to cause harm to Mikoto-sama. He obviously wasn't as informed about the situation as he liked to think he was. Everybody in the village knew that Uchiha Fugaku was a very proud man, his pride came before anything else in his life. Sakura was willing to bet that he cared more about his family's reputation that his wife's safety, although that may have been too harsh a judgment.

Thinking fast, she decided that just agreeing with him and leaving the compound would be the best course of action. She didn't need to give more reason than he already seemed to have, to dislike her.

"Okay Fugaku-san, I'll leave. I'm sorry to have caused you any inconvenience." Sakura bowed to the stoic man before turning on her heel and leaving the gates, the exact same way she had entered just minutes earlier.

Figuring that she still had to find some way to apologize Sakura settled on writing the Uchiha Matriarch a letter. It was a much less personal way of getting her message across but hopefully she cold still come off as sincere in scripture. Sakura hating the thought of telling anybody anything through letters because they were so impersonal. She was first informed that her father had died through a letter. She hadn't understood it at the time but she still had that letter tucked away in her nightstand.

Arriving home in record time, Sakura penned a short letter to Mikoto-sama, explaining in as little detail as possible why she had reacted the way she had and expressing her deepest apologies. Finding Itachi-sensei wasn't difficult, he was at the usual training ground, training Shin in the art of Kenjutsu. She gave him the letter and he affirmed that he would deliver it as soon as she arrived home for the evening.

That evening Sakura waited anxiously for a response although she didn't really expect one until at least morning. It turned out that she didn't have to wait long as a crow arrived at her window a little after 9 pm. The reply letter was short but it made Sakura exhale of a sigh of relief that she didn't even know she had been holding.

_Sakura-chan,_

_Thank you for explaining everything, I'm glad that you're okay and that I didn't do anything to frighten or insult you._

_I've heard what my husband did this afternoon, know that you are welcome to visit me any time that you like. It would always be a pleasure to have your company._

_I hear your training is going well with Itachi-kun, keep up the hard work!_

_Mikoto Uchiha._

The next day Sakura decided to spend some extra time at the cenotaph seeing as she didn't have training until the day after. The cenotaph was like a second home to Sakura, it was somewhere that she could talk about all of her worries and fears without being afraid that somebody would judge her. It had been her safe haven when the children at the academy had teased when she was younger and most importantly, it was were she felt the closest to her father.

Today was no different, she arrived and set down a bouquet of lilies that she had picked from Iruka-sensei's garden on the polished marble slab that sat underneath the memorial. Then she sat with her back against the stone and buried her face in her knees. She didn't cry anymore but she liked the combination of silence and darkness that the location provided her with.

She'd been there for a little over an hour when she heard footsteps walking assuredly in her direction. Raising her head from her knees she saw somebody that she really wished wasn't there.

Less than a foot away from her stood Sasuke Uchiha.

"Oi annoying. Are you still crying about your dad? I don't now why you care, it'd your fault he's dead after all. He wouldn't have left the village on a suicide mission if he cared about you enough to want to come back to you. He's probably happier now that he doesn't have to see you everyday." The boys words were harsh but Sakura couldn't bring herself to tear her wide-eyes gaze away from the harsh young boy.

She didn't fight back against his words, instead deciding to lower her gaze. He didn't stick around, getting bored of her lack of reaction and leaving to find somebody else to torment most likely.

That night, Sakura did not leave the cenotaph, instead deciding to sleep there and think about what Sasuke had said. With Iruka being on a mission nobody noticed her absence and nobody sensed anything wrong when she turned up for training smiling and on time the next day.

**The end of another chapter. Mikoto has forgiven Sakura but it seems as though she is far from on good terms with the rest of the Uchiha-clan.**

**Next chapter will be a mission and we'll get to finally meet Shisui and Rin!**

**Please leave me a review to let me know what you thought, things that be improved, things you liked or just questions pertaining to this fic.**

**Sei x**


	8. Chapter 8 - Mission

One Change: Chapter 8 – Mission

**So I give you Chapter 8! This is a little bit longer that usual so it took me a little longer to write.**

**Some facts about this story:**

**I usually begin writing the next chapter when the previous chapter reaches 10 reviews, however if this takes longer than 4 days then I write the chapter regardless.**

**I have written summaries of all the chapter up until chapter 16 so far and I've already typed chapter 11.**

** I begin writing a chapter it rarely sticks to the plot I had planned.**

**Thank you to: leosbabygirl84, annashina, angel897, Analelle, **_**Guest, **_**kyoko minion, NightshadePrincess and silverwolfighter00 for reviewing!**

**Standard Disclaimers Apply**

**08: Mission**

5 Months Later

It had been a while since they'd last had a mission but it seemed as though his team were as efficient as ever, all waiting for him at the gates, prepped and ready to leave by the time he arrived.

Sakura was leaning against a tree with her arms crossed over her chest looking bored and overly tired, idly Itachi wondered if she'd been getting enough sleep lately but brushed the thought aside when he spotted Shin gesturing impatiently towards the sign-out sheet. He strode over to the small kiosk that housed Izumo and Kotetsu at most hours of the day and night and signed his name fluidly beneath the cursive signature of Haruki.

Clearing his throat in order to catch the attention of the three genin, he waited until he had their attention and then began to speak. "Our mission is simple. We will travel to the capital of HI No Kuni and collect the Daimyo's son. following that we will escort him to Tsukiyo-Mari, a small village on the border of HI No Kuni. I do not anticipate any trouble but you should be on your guard as per usual protocol." The genin nodded sagely and followed him as he left the confines of the village gates.

For the first half an hour they traveled in silence, the only sound being the occasional thud as foot met tree branch. It wasn't unusual for the three of them to be quiet but the air felt heavy and Itachi wondered if something was wrong. Not breaking pace but keeping a closer on the traveling genin, Itachi noticed that they avoided eye contact with one another and didn't attempt to communicate in way.

Deciding it was best not to comment Itachi went back to keeping watch with his sharingan, the silence was a little stifling but not something that he wasn't used to. It was often silent in the Uchiha compound. Due to the prolonged silence it was easy for Itachi to catch the sound of one of his students faltering footsteps and he was quick to jump back a branch and catch Sakura before she tumbled to ground below.

Calling the others to stop for a quick break he found a sheltered cave and secured the perimeter. Once he was sure that the area was secure he set Sakura back on her feet and asked her what was wrong. Being Sakura, she couldn't just give him a straight-forward answer instead glancing away from him and remaining silent. When he asked again she muttered something that he didn't quite catch but still refused to look at him. When he pried further she whipped her head up and glared at him with fierce, glazed over eyes.

"Why does it matter!?" she shouted, shocking the stoic Uchiha and causing her two teammates to turn towards her in alarm, she was trembling slightly and had cast her eyes back towards the ground. "It shouldn't concern you, you shouldn't care", she muttered almost as an afterthought. Concerned now, Itachi wondered why he hadn't noticed that something was wrong with the girl before now but wrote it off as her easily hidden emotions. It was obvious that something had happened and that she wasn't willing to talk about it but leaving her in an emotionally vulnerable state would put not only her but her teammates at risk.

Placing his hand on the girls head Itachi spoke softly and hoped that she would listen. "Sakura-san, You may not feel much like talking right now but you will feel better if you tell me what's wrong. It may compromise the success of the mission if you are unable to concentrate on our objective."

Sakura frowned but her eyes shone with determination and Itachi knew that his talk of the mission had gotten through to her. At first she didn't speak, seemingly thinking about what it was she was going to say but then her lips set into a firm line and she opened her mouth to speak.

"There is really nothing wrong. Iruka-sensei informed me last night that he was to be leaving for a prolonged mission outside of the village in a weeks time and I didn't get much sleep because I spent so long thinking about it, I feel a little drained. I'm sure the Nara's will provide more than adequate care in his absence." She tried to sound nonchalant but Itachi could see the pain in her eyes. Last time somebody special to her gone on a long mission, they had returned in a body bag.

Sighing, moved his hand from her head to her shoulder and looked her right in the eyes with an unwavering gaze. "There is no need to be concerned Sakura, Iruka is a skilled shinobi and will return to the village when his mission is completed. In the meantime, the Nara's are a very skilled clan and you could learn a lot from them." She didn't smile but she did nod, letting him know that she was ready to continue on with the mission.

The rest of the journey to the Daimyo's mansion was relatively quiet but the genin talked quietly amongst themselves and he gave quiet orders when they were to change course or stop to rest.

The capital of Hi No Kuni was a large city that housed millions of civilians and was the center of all trade both into and out of Hi No Kuni. The 4 ninja cast a simple henge to make themselves seem nondescript and fit in with the rest of the civilians better.

Itachi tried to change as little about himself as possible as it always unnerved him, looking into a reflective surface and seeing somebody that wasn't himself looking back. His hair was lightened a few shades to a dark grey but remained in a loose ponytail, tied at the back of his neck and his eyes where a stormy dark blue. The deep tear troughs on his face were also not present in the jutsu. He was dressed in baggy black pants and a plain dark blue shirt that had a few buttons left undone at the collar.

Haruki's disguise was a little more drastic and Itachi stifled a snort when he glanced over at the over-zealous boy. His usually dark blue hair was now a startling shade of blond hanging almost to his shoulders in messy spikes and his eyes a clear sky blue. Anybody who lived in Konoha would have thought he was a relative of the Yondaime Hokage. It didn't help that his black pants and green t-short were covered by a white jacket with blue accents around the collar that looked suspiciously like a picture he'd seen of Namikaze Minato in his time as a young ninja.

Shin didn't seem to appreciate his teammates choice in clothing either and was giving him a narrow-eyed look that spoke volumes of his displeasure. The boys own disguise was simple, his ice blue hair would stand out too much in a crown of ninja so he'd changed it to a nondescript black. The length was much the same as usual but the majority of his bangs were held back by a few cleverly placed slides. His usually bright eyes had also been changed to a muted grey, almost black, somebody in Konoha might actually mistake the boy as a member of the Uchiha clan. He'd chosen to wear something simple in neutral colours and so was wearing a brown belted shirt and long black shorts, his feet encased in simple black sandals.

Sakura seemed to have gone with the idea that her and Shin were related because her usually bright pink hair was now longer and pulled into loose pigtails at the sides of her head in the same shade of black as her teammate and her green eyes were a lighter shade of grey than Shin's. She wore a white long-sleeve blouse covered by a black dress with a pleated hemline that fell just below her knees. She coupled that with long white socks and black sandals. Itachi saw Shin smirk at her and throw his arm over her shoulder.

"For the sake of the mission we should not use our real names, If you need to speak to me from now on you will address me as Ren-san. You will all have to come up with alias' as well." Itachi stated, scrutinizing each of the henge's carefully to make sure there was no obvious flaw in them. He watched Sakura and Shin confer between themselves before they decided on names.

Shin spoke for the two of them, "I will be know as Tsukimari Tetsu and Sakura will be Tsukimari Sora. We will be siblings, Sakura will be my imouto." Sakura nodded in confirmation but said nothing.

Haruki piped up when nobody else spoke for a moment. "Just call me Misato!" Now didn't that sound similar to a certain hokage's name?

**~One Change: MISSION~**

The Daimyo's son Kousuke was a quiet boy who did seem to feel the need to fill the silence with meaningless chatter. They had collected him a few hours ago now and had currently made camp in order to let him rest. Due the civilian boy's lack of chakra they had to travel by foot instead of the treetops, it would take significantly longer but was safer in the long run.

Though he wasn't paying the boy a tremendous amount of attention, Itachi had heard him mutter that he would have liked to have been born in Konoha so he could become a ninja. At this, his team had begun enthusiastically telling him all about their training and the many hardships that lined the road to becoming a true ninja.

Itachi continued to listen to the quiet conversation until he felt an unknown presence breach the genjutsu he had set up around the perimeter of their camp. immediately on guard Itachi activated his sharingan and scanned the area for the intruder, it turned out to be many more than he had originally anticipated.

Surrounding the the make-shift camp were 24 ninja of currently unknown affiliation. As soon as Itachi made the hand sign for tiger the rest of the occupants of the camp were tense and on edge, they knew that the sign meant that there were potentially threatening adversaries in the immediate vicinity.

Getting to their feet slowly Sakura and Haruki stood back to back staring out into the dense forest of Hi No Kuni that bordered them on either side. Haruki's byakugan was activated and Sakura had subconsciously slipped into a fighting stance. Shin nudged Kousuke into the tent they'd set up and Itachi could here the muffled conversation that was going on between the two.

"What's happening Tetsu-kun? Why is everybody so on edge?" Kousuke asked and Shin just shook his head before making a shushing motion with his pointer finger and closing the flap on the front of tent.

Seconds later the nin converged on them the majority heading for Itachi seeing as it was obvious he was the leader of and therefore the strongest in the team. He knew that Sakura was preparing to cast a genjutsu and pulled the two nin that met his eyes into his own genjutsu.

Seconds later when he glanced at the girl he saw her unleash her Magen: Shinkiro. It was a basic genjutsu that allowed the user to make their opponent believe that they'd simply disappeared from their position. Sakura was still standing in the exact same spot but none of her enemies could see her. As soon as she saw that her technique was a success she followed it up with a Suiton: Senshokuko. From the lake to the west of their location Itachi saw small shark shaped needles of water shoot up and pierce six of her enemies through the chest. They weren't dead but they were unconscious.

Haruki, not one to be outdone formed the hand seals for a familiar fire release technique and slammed his hands into the ground yelling "Katon: Ensakkai!" A large wall of fire rose up from the ground and swept over the whole battlefield, Shin was fast to make his own hand seals in order to stop the jutsu from effecting himself and Kousuke. "Doton: Shuheki", he muttered, causing a protective wall of earth to rise up in front of the tent.

Many of the opposing nin had either been taken out quickly or fled from the scene but a few brave ones remained. Itachi scanned the faces and spotted a Sunagakure Hitai-ate, sand nin then. Out of the corner of his eye he saw one of them draw a senbon from a pouch at their waste and before he could warn the genin, the man had thrown it and it'd struck Haruki's shoulder. With that done, the last three nin fled the area and Itachi shunshin'd over to Haruki to check the boy's condition.

The Hyuuga was sweating profusely and his eyes had rolled back into his head. The boy was likely under the influence of poison so it would unwise to try and move him. Thinking fast, Itachi drew a transportation scroll from his pack and wrote a quick message to the hokage requesting backup with at least one medical ninja. He then moved the genin deeper into the cave and stood guard, awaiting the arrival of help.

**~One Change: MISSION~**

It took 3 hours for the requested help to arrive and when Itachi sensed 3 presences enter the genjutsu he relaxed at the familiar chakra signatures. Within seconds Nohara Rin, Shiranui Genma and his cousin, Uchiha Shisui were standing right in front of him.

"Report", Shisui stated, requesting a run-down of the situation as per usual protocol for this kind of situation.

"The mission was going fine, we had collected the Daimyo's son and were on course to Tsukiyo-Mari. We had stopped and made camp when we were ambushed by approximately 24 Suna Shinobi, most of these were dispatched easily enough but one managed to hit Hyuuga Haruki with a senbon which I believe to have been poisoned. He has shown several side effects including sweating and seizing. That is all." Itachi replied, making sure not to leave out any of the details.

Rin had already entered the cave and was getting ready to administer an antidote to counteract the poison. Sakura was watching her with rapt attention and interest, Itachi also saw some concern for her fallen comrade in her eyes.

Rin spoke up after administering the antidote. "He should be alright now but he'll likely not wake up for several more hours. I suggest that one of you carry him so we can begin the journey back to Konoha as soon as possible."

Genma hefted the unconscious boy onto his back and they promptly packed up the camp and began their journey back to Konoha. It was mostly silent until Sakura turned to Rin and inquired in a quiet voice. "Do you think I'd ever be able to be a medic-nin?" Rin smiled at the girl and seemed to think about it for a minute. "With the correct training, yes. I've heard you have quite extraordinary chakra control which could give you quite the head start. Once we're back in the village, maybe I could train you?"

Sakura's smile widened as she nodded her head vigorously, "I'd like that, thank you!" she stated. Rin just smiled gently and turned back to facing the direction they were heading in.

The rest of the journey home was quiet and uneventful and they arrived back in Konoha having encountered no more trouble. Haruki was told he wouldn't be allowed to train for a few days but he would recover fully after that.

**Well that was a longer chapter than usual! So we've met Shisui, Rin and Genma and these guys will be popping up quite a lot in this story.**

**Sakura will e beginning her medic training in the next chapter!**

**Hope you enjoyed reading this! Don't forget to leave a review to let me know what you though, things that could be improved, things you liked or questions pertaining to this fic!**

**Sei x**


	9. Chapter 9 - Medic-Nin

One Chapter: Chapter 9 – Medic-Nin

**First of all I want to say that I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to leave this update for so long!**

**I've had several large research projects to complete for school and also I'm in the process and writing my personal statement and applying for Universities! I hope I won't have to leave it this long again, hope you enjoy the chapter!**

Thank you to: **annashina, leosbabygirl84, shadowlove'scookies, Hotdragon 95, Sandman's Dream Catcher, Analelle, angel897 **and **Sakura Crystals** for reviewing!

**Standard Disclaimers Apply.**

**09: Medic-Nin**

2 weeks later:

Watching from a distance, Itachi could tell that Sakura was frustrated. Her long pink bangs were plastered to her face with sweat, her eyes narrowed and her eyebrows furrowed but the most obvious indicator was the scowl on her face. Having wasted no time after returning from their previous mission Sakura has immediately begun her medic training with Nohara Rin, one of the most renowned medics in the village.

Apparently she had been expecting to learn much faster than she was. It was obvious that she was unaware of just how difficult it was to be a medical ninja. For the past two months Sakura had been trying tirelessly to heal the fish that Rin-san had given her and she had yet to have any success. This didn't stem her determination in the slightest though because, despite her frustration she was still working tirelessly to try and heal the fish.

"Sakura", he started with a sigh. The girl turned and gave him a sharp look, no doubt knowing what he was going to say and disliking the argument which she knew was about to start.

"It is time to head to the Nara compound, they are expecting you and it would make a bad impression if you were to be late." All of this was said in a stoic and matter-of-fact tone which Itachi knew that she'd be unable to to argue with him. Sakura could be unreasonable sometimes but she nothing if not intelligent and she could tell that he was right.

Scowling, but not arguing with him, Sakura picked up her pack from the ground beside her and turned to exit the hospital, never once looking over her shoulder to see if he was following. That was something that he'd noticed about Sakura since he'd met her over a year ago, the more comfortable and familiar she became with people the easier she found it to be bratty and defiant.

Honestly though, Itachi couldn't make himself scorn her for her childish behaviour because as the time drew loser for her to meet her substitute family, she closed herself off from those close to her more and more. He knew that Sakura was constantly worrying about the Naras; what they would think of her, if they were nice people, if she would be _welcome._

Following her silently, Itachi observed the way she walked stiffly but with a purpose that told people she was sure of what she was doing. Sakura may have been scared but that didn't mean she was going to let them know this.

Itachi had never actually met Yoshino or Shikaku Nara but they were renowned in the shinobi scene and he was aware that they had a son around Sakura's age who seemed mild-mannered enough, He'd seen the boy briefly when he'd visited the Uchiha compound to complete a project with Sasuke and a few other classmates.

Snapping back to reality Itachi noticed that Sakura had suddenly stopped and looked up to find the sign dictating that they were now entering the Nara compound. Sakura was no longer looking forward and had begun scuffing her sandal against the dirt path. Just passed the indication of the compound, Itachi could see deer grazing and roaming freely, these must have been the deer that the Nara were famous for keeping.

Nudging the girl in front of him to move forward, the girl stumbled and turned her head quickly to sneer at him before marching forward again. He couldn't help but feel as though he was horrible for pushing into something that she was clearly apprehensive about doing but it had been her who'd said that she wanted to do this, that she wouldn't back down from a challenge.

When they arrived at the main house of the Nara compound, Itachi wasn't surprised to see Nara Shikamaru slouching against the door frame looking like he he would rather be anywhere rather than where he was. It would make more sense to send a child to greet a child, Yoshino was probably attempting not to scare Sakura by having everything happening at once.

Sakura was watching with guarded eyes to see if the boy would try anything against her, seeing as she had almost immediately recognised him as being in her original academy class. Though she didn't recall him ever doing anything to her in particular, it was best to be on her guard just in case.

This proved to not be a problem seeing as the only move that Shikamaru made towards her was to nod his head and gesture in the direction of the door. Some of Sakura's apprehension fell away upon realising that he didn't intend to try and cause her any harm and she turned, shooting Itachi a quick smirk before skipping after the boy, considerably more light hearted than she had only moments ago.

Itachi watched her go with relief, he'd expected her to put up some kind of a fight but seeing her leave willingly and _happily _made his heart a little lighter. He didn't know when exactly the only female student had found a place in his heart but she was firmly secured there now and it seemed she wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.

In a way she made him think of his little brother. Like Sakura, Sasuke had a tendency to be slightly aloof even if he wasn't intentionally trying to push people away. For Sakura this had lessened over time until he could now see her opening up to her teammates and teachers more and more. Sakura had been handed a very bad start in life but she was learning to go with it and even work it to advantage.

It wasn't only Sakura that ignited the protective side of Itachi's nature either. Both Shin and Haruki had become special to him. In some respects, the two of them tended to worry him more that Sakura. They were both powerful shinobi that shouldn't by any means be exposed to more power than they can deal with. They both seemed innocent enough but either of them could snap if put under too much pressure or given too much power.

He'd watched them grow as a team as well. As much as both boys were fiercely protective of the female teammates, Sakura was the one who you should look out for if you tried to hurt one of those she'd dubbed 'Her Boys'. It was probably due to her lack of affectionate or caring upbringing but Sakura was never going to let anybody get in the way of the bonds she had formed with her teammates.

As he watched her walk towards the door with Shikamaru trailing lazily behind, Itachi truly hoped that she would never have to deal with pain in her life again. She deserved to be able to keep all of her precious people by her side.

Little did he know that he peace was going to be shattered before she knew it and she would lose more precious people than she cared to count before she ever found true happiness.

This was only the beginning.

**Please don't kill, I know this chapter is really late! As I mentioned in the authors note at the top, I've been busy with Uni Applications!**

**Some sinister foreshadowing at the end there, next chapter we'll see Sakura meet the Nara family and one Obito Uchiha when she gets a surprise visit from Rin concerning her training. Also, Team Gai! Who's excited? I am!**

**Sei x**


	10. Chapter 10 - Meeting

One Change: Chapter 10 – Meeting

**The next chapter is already typed and I'll be ready to post as soon as I'm done editing!**

**Good news! I've officially finished year 12 and now it's summer so I'll have much more time to write and hopefully make marked progress with this story. I doubt I'll be able to finish it in just in just 6 weeks because I have a lot planned for it, but I hope to get a fair amount done!**

Thanks to:** Silverwolfighter00, **_**DeadlyNightshade(anon), Guest, Yuki'sAngel(Anon), **_**Uchiha Tsunako, Analelle**and for reviewing!

**Standard Disclaimers Apply.**

**10: Meeting**

Later the same day:

Sakura didn't quite know what to make of the Nara family. She'd heard that they were a clan of formidable shinobi but they seemed a little too laid-back to even be shinobi in the first place. Nara Yoshino was nice enough, quiet and somewhat reserved, she seemed to be the epitome of 'house wife' but Sakura had seen the way she shot narrow-eyed glances at her son and husband when she thought she wasn't watching.

Nara Shikaku was possibly the most laid-back shinobi she had ever seen, for somebody who was supposed to be formidable, the man looked as though he was about to fall asleep. Sakura wasn't even sure where Shikamaru had gone, as soon as they'd entered the house he'd disappeared back out the door and she hadn't seen him since.

It was slightly awkward sitting on the couch waiting for Yoshino to re-enter the living room from the kitchen while Shikaku was practically asleep beside her with his head resting on the arm rest. The bright voice of the Nara Matriarch startled Sakura out of her contemplative musing.

"How are you? May I call you Sakura-chan?" Yoshino Nara asked, placing a tray down in front of the rigid girl, having frozen the moment that she realised there had been somebody behind her and she hadn't even sensed her. Forcing her muscles to relax the girl nodded stiffly while pulling her lips up into a strained smile.

If she the Nara family was expecting a smiley little girl with no worries in the world then they had another thing coming.

_*One Change*_

Assured that Sakura would be fine for now, Itachi made his way back towards the Uchiha compound with the intention of confronting his father about his behaviour. Having known Sakura for almost 2 years now he was aware of how fragile she was and how strong she pretended to be. His female student was devastated about the way she had treated the Uchiha matriarch and he was furious to learn that his father had gone as far as banning the 11 year old from the compound to prevent her from apologizing to his mother. The man claimed that he had his wife's best interests at heart but Itachi knew that the man was just angry that his prodigious son had been lumped with the responsibility of taking a genin team, an occupation that he believed was below his son's abilities.

The compound was mostly deserted but that wasn't surprising seeing as the clan would be in the middle of a clan meeting right about now. What was more surprising was the fact that he could see somebody in the distance, the person had to be an Uchiha because nobody outside the clan was able to enter the compound while a clan meeting was in progress.

Moving closer Itachi identified the person as his older cousin Uchiha Obito, the man had been on a mission until recently, escorting a team of Genin in the place of their hospitalized sensei.

"Obito-san, may I inquire as to why you aren't present in the current clan meeting?" He asked, watching the man's face twist in what he could only imagine was faint amusement.

"Maybe it would be more relevant to ask you the same question Itachi-san, after all, if I am not mistaken then the clan is currently discussing your unruly pink-haired student." It was said with a definite tone of underlying amusement regarding the issue.

Freezing momentarily, Itachi thought about the new information that his cousin had provided. What business did the clan have with his student? Surely she hadn't done anything bad enough to warrant an official meeting in her honour. This was probably his fathers doing, the elder had taken an immediate dislike to the girl and was doing everything in his power to remove her from their lives completely.

Nodding sagely to the older Uchiha, Itachi bid him goodbye and turned to leave the compound completely. It seemed he wouldn't be able to speak with his father in any degree of privacy right now so he would occupy his time by seeking out Shisui for a training session while awaiting his genin team.

_*One Change*_

If she'd learned anything in the past few hours, it was that Nara Shikamaru found _everything _to be too troublesome. She wasn't sure what could be so fascinating about watching the clouds but the boy could quite literally do it for hours.

Still uncomfortable with the situation, Sakura felt bad for Yoshino as she'd tried her best to make the younger kunoichi to feel at home. It was difficult to convince herself that the foreign nin meant her no harm. As bad as she felt, she was still relieved to realise that she would have to leave shortly for team two's daily training session.

Vaguely, she recalled Itachi mentioning that they'd be doing something a little different today and she was curious to see what exactly he had meant by that.

Telling her temporary guardians that she was leaving and that she'd be back in a few hours, Sakura stepped out of the compound and shunshin'd to training ground five... and right into the chest of Uchiha Shisui, who looked equally surprised at her sudden appearance. The surprise didn't last long though as the wide eyes and gaping mouth quickly transformed into a smirk and eyes that glittered with amusement.

"Well... I'm used to all the girls throwing themselves at me, but I think this is the first time a preteen has done so", the smirk never left his lips and his spoke and Sakura felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment as she tried to pull away from him and turn her back. He obliged her struggling and let her go, grinning at her very apparent embarrassment.

Sakura let her eyes dart around the training ground until she found what she'd been looking for, Itachi-sensei was standing a few feet away smirking to himself. The pout found its way onto her lips naturally and she put her hands on his hips in hopes of showing him how little she impressed with the situation.

"Sakura, not that you've arrived I can tell yo and your teammates about the training session I have planned for today. If you recall correctly, I told you yesterday that today's training would be a little different. Today you will be training with team 9. Led by the Jounin Maito Gai, they are also Genin rank although they graduated just recently from the academy. I want to see how you do in a Taijutsu orientated spar. I am not saying that Ninjutsu or Genjutsu are prohibited but you would do well to remember that sometimes you will have to fight without the aid of chakra."

For the first time, she noticed the group of Genin standing to the western side of the training ground. They didn't look particularly threatening but the boy with the brown hair was trying, his eyes narrowed into what she assumed was supposed to be a fierce glare. The group consisted of a Jounin with short black hair who appeared to be wearing... spandex off all things, Sakura recognised him as Gai-sensei. Then there was a young boy whom she could have sworn was a clone of the eccentric teacher, they were practically identical apart from height, The next was the boy who'd been glaring at her earlier, he was slightly feminine looking but it was his eyes that drew Sakura's attention. They were lilac and lacked any visible pupil, they were also still narrowed into a threatening glare. They would probably intrigued her more if she were not already used to seeing Haruki's Byakugan. The last member of the team was an unassuming looking girl with brown hair that was pulled into twin buns atop her head, there didn't seem to be anything extraordinary about her.

For a moment nobody spoke, whether for lack of things to say or the awkward atmosphere that had begun to permeate the training grounds. It was Gai-sensei who eventually broke the awkward silence.

"Okay my youthful students, today we have been challenged by Team 2, led by the ever youthful Uchiha Itachi! While also genin, his youthful students have been Genin for over a year now so make sure to watch your backs! This spar will be primarily Taijutsu based but Ninjutsu and Genjutsu are allowed. Due to the fact that they also have a Doujutsu user, the Byakugan will be permitted. Go forth and display the power of your youth!" Watching the man explain the spar to his team, Sakura was glad that she had such a calm and composed sensei.

With nothing else left to be said between the two teams, all six Genin dropped into their Taijutsu stances, ready for the spar to be called. Sakura's mind was already running at extreme speeds, trying to calculate the best and fastest way to end this spar and come out the victor. Itachi-sensei said that this was a Taijutsu spar but the way he also mentioned Ninjutsu and Genjutsu gave Sakura an idea. The rest of the ninja on the field would begin with Taijutsu as they had been instructed so Sakura would have a tactical advantage if she were to start with Ninjutsu or Genjutsu.

With her mind made up just as Shisui called the start of the spar, Sakura was already making hand signs, Ram-Snake-Tiger, and slamming her hands into the ground. "Suiton: Kokuu no Jutsu!" she exclaimed, knowing that the black rain would not harm any of her opponents but severely damage their visibility and evasiveness. While they were momentarily stunned, Sakura was already making her next set of hand signs, her plan working just the way she had hoped. The next jutsu was whispered in hopes that nobody would notice her casting the Genjutsu. "Magen: Kasumi", straight away she saw Haruki and the other Hyuuga's eyes snapped in her direction, their respective Byakugans activated.

It had been a long shot to hope that the Byakugan wouldn't see through the Genjutsu but the illusionary mist seemed to be further confusing Shin and the other two Genin. With her cover blown, the long haired Hyuuga quickly engaged her in a close-combat Taijutsu spar which forced her to lose her hold on the Black Rain Jutsu. The Hyuuga was fast but Sakura had practice combating the 359 degree vision of the Doujutsu and was able to avoid most of his blows. Striking the boy hard in the solar plexus, Sakura took the opportunity to jump completely out of range and begin the hand seals for her next jutsu.

"Suiton: Mizu Hari!" She didn't stop to see if the jutsu had taken effect though, instead proceeding straight into her next set of hand signs. "Fuuton: Kamikaze!" A great gust of wind erupted suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere and every stopped what they were doing to watch with awe as the water needles from the previous jutsu solidified within the harsh wind to become razor sharp ice crystals.

It looked as though the jutsu was going to hit the younger Hyuuga, and if it did then it would cause a large amount of damage. Quickly, Itachi stepped into the fight making lighting fast hand signs of his own. "Katon: Goka Mekkyaku!" the large blast of fire destroyed the ice crystals immediately and the spar was instantly called to a close.

"Sakura, since when have you been able to manipulate wind style chakra?" Itachi asked calmly, he was gazing at his only female student with undisguised interest in his eyes.

Sakura hesitated to answer for a moment, but none of the adults present seemed to be particularly angry. "I've always been able to Itachi-sensei, I just like to use Water because it's my primary chakra type." A furrow appeared between the girls eyebrows before she spoke again, "But what was that? I've never heard of Ice-style jutsu before."

Itachi thought for a moment before answering, "usually, it would be impossible to use Ice-style jutsu. I've only heard of it being used as a Kekkai Genkai. We will have to research this more, for today training is over, I must go and speak with the Hokage. Be back for training at the same time tomorrow." and with that Itachi-sensei disappeared completely.

As Sakura was returning to the Nara's that evening, she thought of what she had just discovered. Was it possible that with this new found ability, she would be able to grow stronger and finally get justice for her fathers wrongful death?

**Okay please don't kill me! I know this has taken forever but I've had a lot going on, I had a wedding to go to and then I got my AS results which were less than satisfactory so I've been studying a lot. Next chapter should be up soon!**

**I know that in canon it is impossible to create Ice-style jutsu but I'm working off of the same principle that allows Yamato to use Wood-style jutsu. If he mixes Water and earth style chakra in order to make wood style then I think you should be able to mix Water and Wind style to make ice.**

**Please leave me a review to let me know what you thought. What could be improved, what you liked or just any general questions! :)**

**Sei x**


	11. Chapter 11 - Team 7

One Change: Chapter 11 – Team 7

**Here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy reading it! I suppose it's a bit of a filler but it's necessary to properly introduce team 7 and also to show the development all of the characters have been through. Things will likely start to get more serious after this chapter because the Chuunin exams are coming up!**

**Ages:**

**Itachi – 17**

**Sakura, Team 7 – 12**

**Haruki and Shin – 14**

**Team Gai – 13**

**Kakashi, Gai – 26**

**Minato – 35**

**Thank you to: silverwolfighter00, angel897, **_**DeadlyNightshade(Anon), **_**Uchiha Tsunako, Analelle and **_**Guest**_

**This chapter is dedicated to silverwolfighter00 for always reviewing!**

**Standard Disclaimers Apply.**

11: Team 7

When Itachi arrived at team two's usual training ground he didn't quite know what to make of the sight that met him. Sakura was hidden in the top of a tree on the western border of the grounds, silently aiming a senbon with deadly accuracy towards his brother. Aforementioned brother had activated his sharingan and was staring intensely around the training ground, no doubt trying to find the pink-haired kunoichi.

Haruki was in the middle of a one-to-one Taijutsu spar with Uzumaki Naruto, the boy had stamina but couldn't keep up with the Hyuuga whom had 2 years experience on him and so it seemed likely that he would lose the match soon.

Shin was surrounded by snakes that seemed to be under the influence of some kind of jutsu, they were made of ink if his senses were anything to go by. His opponent was nowhere to be seen but he didn't seem to be having too much trouble with the reptilian imitations. He spotted the last member of the team, a pale boy with short black hair and black eyes, his face was pulled into a faux smile as she charged at Shin from behind but the boy turned at the last second and deflected his kunai with a shuriken of his own.

A ways off, not bothering to conceal himself, Itachi could see Hatake Kakashi: The copy ninja. The man was watching the genin with an amused smile on his face and Itachi couldn't help but wonder why the man was here, annoyed that his team were preoccupied so they weren't able to begin their training.

He decided not to intervene with their training, he didn't think that his team would benefit much from the experience but his otouto's team could probably use the experience or at least a 'wake up call'. He shunshin'd next to Kakashi and inquired as to why he had brought his genin to an occupied training ground. The Hatake replied that he was unaware of the status of the grounds and after he arrived he'd come up with the genius plan of making them spar. He, like most of the Jounin in the village, had heard about the excellent progress his team had made in the 2 years he'd been teaching them.

Finding the Jounin to offer unsatisfactory conversation, he turned once again to observe the sparring pairs.

His brother was now pinned to the ground, courtesy of the 8 senbon holding his clothes down in different locations. He was scowling and Itachi could see the smug look on Sakura's face, though he couldn't hear from this distance he was sure that the girl was making taunting remarks.

Since her breakdown last year, Sakura had begun to excel in her training. Her Taijutsu improved by leaps and bounds and he was aware that she had been training with Maito Gai and his own new genin team in her spare time. He had once observed one of their training sessions, Sakura was sparring with Hyuuga Neji. The boy seemed to think that his byakugan would give him the upper hand, it was obvious that he didn't take into account his cousins position as her teammate. Sakura had learned to find the weaknesses in the byakugan, that 1% which the user couldn't see and use it against them. The match had ended with Sakura in the victory and the Hyuuga scowling at her and refusing to talk to her for the rest of the session.

Her genjutsu and Ninjutsu had also improved which was only possible because of her steadily increasing chakra supplies. He had seen her reading in the library by herself, a scroll about expansion of chakra pathways. He knew that she liked to meditate and often found her doing so when she was the first to arrive to their training sessions.

She was now learning B-rank Suiton and Fuuton jutsu and C-rank genjutsu and he had taken to instructing her from the sidelines as she taught herself. The sharingan made Itachi a master of genjutsu so he was more than happy to coach her as she was a genjutsu type and would benefit from the extra training. Her use of the Hyoton element was also greatly improving now that he knew how it worker. They had figured out that by mixing Suiton and Fuuton chakra, both of which Sakura was capable of manipulating, then she was able to manipulate Hyoton chakra. However she still had a log ways to go with this as there were no records that she could draw experience from.

He couldn't help much when it came to her Ninjutsu as he was a user of Katon jutsu but he knew the technicalities and was able to tell her what she was doing wrong by observing her.

Watching her now he could tell that she had found her will of fire. When he first met Sakura she was a broken shell of a girl and tended to blindly follow orders, while it was efficient it would ultimately end in her demise. If Sakura herself didn't know what she was fighting for then how was she supposed to fight properly?

The Sakura in front of him now wanted to protect those who were special to her, wanted to be of equal standing to her teammates and be able to fight alongside them, to watch their backs. He watched as she slowly started to smile more and she listened to his advice but didn't hesitate to ask questions or contest when she thought he was wrong. This was the person that he knew Sakura had the potential to be and he was glad that she was reaching out and taking the opportunity.

One thing didn't seem to have changed though, Sakura and Sasuke still had a hate-hate relationship that most often led to verbal spars whenever they crossed each others paths. Itachi understood that Sasuke had been one of those to torment Sakura during her academy days so she had a reason to dislike him (because Sakura wasn't really capable of hating anybody) but Itachi couldn't quite discern his brothers reasoning for disliking the kunoichi.

He watched as Sakura went and sat unceremoniously on his brothers back, earning a grunt and a growl from the younger shinobi. The girls lips split into a wide grin as she continued to taunt Sasuke, turning once to flick him on the forehead and call him annoying.

Across the grounds Haruki was standing next to Naruto who was now dangling from a tree by one foot and squirming indignantly. The Hyuuga had his arms crossed and wasn't even looking at the Uzumaki, instead choosing to glare at Sasuke whom was now speaking rather vulgarly to his female teammate. Itachi made a note to tell his mother about the way Sasuke had been talking, he was sure that she would be most unhappy.

Shin was leaning against a tree with his eyes closed, not even bothering to keep an eye on his enemy, upon closer inspection it was apparent that he had no need to as the boy was buried up to is neck in the ground. It was a jutsu that Itachi recognised as the Earth Release: Head hunter jutsu and he smirked when he realized that his team and dealt with their adversaries with little to no trouble.

Kakashi also seemed to find his teams easy defeat amusing and was now strolling into the middle of the field looking as though he was going to make an announcement.

"So team 7, do you see what is expected of you in the next two years? You may never reach this level because this particular team is extremely specialized and harshly trained in order to reach the level that they have reached. This is what it means to be a shinobi." he said, gesturing to team 2 who by now had returned to his side and begun speaking quietly amongst themselves.

"Naruto, Sasuke, Sai this is what you'll be up against when you are able to leave the village for missions. You'll likely be up against worse when the time comes for you to enter the Chuunin exams. You have to e serious about wanting to train, there will be no slacking off."

With that said, the Jounin vanished from the field, stating that training was over for today and that the boys should meet him at the next training ground over in 2 days time.

For the rest of the afternoon and well into the evening Itachi trained with his team. Sakura was reading over a scroll on the technique Suiton: Mizu Hari, it was a technique that required a very high chakra control as it was an adaptation of the Hyuuga's Juuken. Haruki had been the one to suggest that try learning it and Sakura had been more than willing to give it a try. She could already use the Jutsu with some amount of proficiency but in order to make her Hyoton Jutsu even more effective she would have to make it even more precise.

A ways off, Haruki was practicing his Hakke Kusho , a technique that the Hyuuga clan was well know for.

Shin was once again doodling seals onto a partially blank scroll. His training with the Yondaime had begun just 3 months ago and the boy was working extremely hard in order to live up to the mans expectations.

His team were powerful, he new that. Tomorrow he would ask them if they'd like to participate in the Chuunin exams, he thought they were ready but he had to let them make that decision for themselves.

**So next chapter will be the first round of the Chuunin exams, who's excited?**

**Team 7 has appeared! Not in the conventional way but they are all still technically members of team 7. These two teams will have a close relationship in the future.**

**Jutsu used in the last few chapters:**

Chapter 11:

**Suiton: Mizu Hari – Water Release: Water Needles.**

**Hakke Kusho – Eight Trigrams Rotation**

Chapter 10:

**Suiton: Kokuu no Jutsu – Water Release: Black Rain Technique**

**Magen: Kasumi – Illusionary Release: Mist**

**Fuuton: Kamikaze – Wind Release: Stream**

**Katon: Goka Mekkyaku – Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation**

Chapter 8:

**Doton: Shuheki – Earth Release: Barrier**

**Katon: Ensakkai – Fire Release: Flame Murdering boundary**

**Suiton: Senshokuko – Water Release: A thousand feeding sharks**

**Magen: Shinkiro – Illusionary Release: Mirage**

**Please leave a review to let me know what you thought, anything that could be improved, things you liked or questions pertaining to this particular fic.**

**Sei x**


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